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Trent Williams Says Ricky Pearsall Shooting Motivated Him to End Contract Holdout

Williams felt the need to return and help out teammates after Pearsall was shot in an attempted robbery.

Ryan Phillips

Dec 10, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) is introduced before the start of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) is introduced before the start of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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Trent Williams ended his holdout and returned to the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday with a new contract and Ricky Pearsall seems to be a big reason he returned to the team.

Pearsall was shot in the chest over the weekend during an attempted robbery. While the rookie wide receiver survived the incident and seems to be doing well, it made an impact on Williams. When meeting with the media after agreeing to his new deal, the 11-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle explained that the Pearsall incident made him want to return to be with his teammates.

"In my mind I'm like, 'Man I just want to get back, get around the team,'" Williams said. "Ricky stood out to me because when I popped in for OTAs for about the 30 minutes I was here, he did go out of his way to come and introduce himself to me."

He added, "For him to come up and kind of introduce [himself], and I just instantly felt this vibe and could just feel he's such a genuine person. So seeing that happen, I'm like 'Man I just want to get back ... and be there for the team.'"

Williams's full comments on Pearsall are below.

Williams is a longtime veteran and has been named first team All-Pro in each of the last three seasons. The 36-year-old is not only one of the best tackles in the NFL, he also garners immense respect from other players. His return to the 49ers should be a boost on the field and in the locker room.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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